A Year Under the Mojave Sun
by smileplease91
Summary: It has been a year since the battle at Hoover Dam. People change, feelings are forgotten. However, for F!Courier Six, she hopes that happiness can be found again.


Despite the fact that it had a year since the battle at the dam, Courier Six Abigail found herself thinking about him from time to time. They had traveled together, fought together in efforts to defeat Legion, and after it was all said and done, they went their separate ways. She wondered how he was, and if he was happy.

Craig Boone had become her best friend, and that was all he would allow. When they first met, she could not get over how attractive the man was. After Jeannie May had been killed, Boone agreed to travel alongside Abigail. He was a man of few words, that was for sure, and while most people in the wild wasteland were not necessarily nice, sometimes Abigail would have to reassure herself to not deck Boone for his rudeness. On the other hand, she could not blame him. He lost his love and his unborn child, and by his own hand. He had killed Carla in order to free her from the Legion, and Abigail held him at no fault. Regardless, who would not become bitter after such an event? After finding out this event, Abigail would try her best to make him smile. Her efforts often went to waste, but everyone once in a while a faint smile could be seen. As time went on, the two became close friends, Abigail was a beautiful woman, Boone could give her that. Her long, auburn hair made her bright green eyes stand out, and her smile seemed to grant his heart some peace. But nothing more would arise from their friendship. When the battle at the dam was over with the NCR victorious, Boone and Abigail said their good-byes.

And yet, a year later, Abigail could not help but think about him. She knew it was silly to do so. As she ventured around the wasteland, lending a hand to anyone who needed it, she had faint hope that she would run across her companion. She remembered Boone telling her that he respected her for the way she genuinely wanted to help people, caps included or not. After helping countless people and two more months passing by, she decided to head to New Vegas to relax for a moment and have a little fun. Perhaps she would visit the NCR headquarters and reminisce on times past.

Once in New Vegas, Abigail chuckled to herself. Things certainly hadn't changed. Hookers were lined up on the sidewalk, seducing NCR soldiers who were lonely or just wanting to have a good time. Drunks stumbled to and fro, and an occasional fight would break out, only to be stopped immediately by NCR soldiers. She walked down the street, heading toward the Atomic Wrangler, but she was suddenly bumped into by someone. She turned around to see a drunkard, his eyes nearly crossed, grinning at her.

"'ey, baby. You got a purty face and a body to make the men cry. How about you say we get busy?" the drunk slurred.

"You're hilarious," Abigail dryly retorted as she turned around to walk away. The drunk, angered by her rejection, firmly grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him.

"Now, let's not be rude, baby. Let's have some fun."

All at once, a hand firmly gripped the drunk's shoulder, and the other hand gently pulled Abigail's hand out of the drunk's hold.

"How about you just move along, friend? Besides, she could kick your ass faster than you could blink," Abigail heard a familiar voice speak. She turned around, stunned to see the one person who she had been searching for. She smiled at him, and he smiled back at her, and it amazed her that he smiled so freely. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Boone spoke as he sat the drunk down on the sidewalk. The drunk fell over and threw up all over the sidewalk, making Abigail grimace. Boone laughed at her reaction. "Not exactly the best way to meet again after so long, but I'll take it."

"How have things been, Boone?" Abigail asked, trying not to sound too excited upon seeing him; the last thing she wanted to do was freak him out and run him off. She was happy that his appearance had not changed at all, and wondered if hers had.

"I've changed," Boone began. "I know that I was not the best person a year ago, but… All that anger and hate I had, well, I'm putting it to use. Also, you influenced me a little. I'm helping people the best I can."

"That's great to hear," Abigail smiled warmly.

"So, let me guess. You're still going around the wasteland helping others."

"How did you know?"

"Let's just say word gets around," Boone smirked. "Listen, my shift is over an about an hour. How about I meet you at the Atomic Wrangler?"

That night, at the Atomic Wrangler, it was like old times, but better. Boone was more talkative and inquisitive, genuinely wanting to hear about the things that Abigail had experienced in the past fourteen months. The two drank but did not so much that they were drunk, and enjoyed each other's company as they talked the night away. Even as the sun rose in the Mojave sky, the two were still talking and laughing. The next day, Boone had it off, so the two spent it together. Boone had certainly changed. His smile and laugh seemed unforced and natural. If Abigail did not know any better, it was as if he had perhaps missed her slightly. She laughed to herself, knowing that it was positively not the case at all. Juxtapose to that, Abigail had missed him.

In New Vegas, Boone had become respected. He protected the people to the best of his capabilities, and was a friendly person, which was a vast contrast to the way he was a year ago. Abigail was happy that he had found his calling and hoped that he had found happiness of his own. She wondered if he was lonely, like she was.

For fun, and just like old times, she jumped up and grabbed his beret off his head and held it behind her back. Boone sighed and crossed his arms.

"You know I hate it when you take my beret."

"I know," Abigail slyly grinned.

"Give it back. Please."

Abigail chuckled and took off running throughout New Vegas, the beret in her hands. She thought that Boone would not chase her, but when she looked back, she found herself caught in his arms while he tried to wrestle the beret out of her grasp. He was gentle, despite the fact he knew she was strong herself and could handle anything. Laughing, he finally snatched the beret out of her hands and put it on his head.

That week was one of the best weeks Abigail had in the past year. She would wait for Boone to get off his shift, and they would spend the rest of the day together. It was one of the first times she actually did something for herself, and she did not feel guilty about doing it. On the other hand, at the end of the week, she would leave at resume her life wandering around the wasteland giving aid to people who needed it. She thought to herself that she would have to visit New Vegas from time to time in order to check on her friend.

However, when the day came for her to leave, as she walked toward the exit, she heard Boone call her name. She turned around to see him running to her, his sniper rifle slung over his shoulder.

"What is it? Some raiders sneak in? We'll get 'em!" she exclaimed, reaching for one of her guns.

"No, no raiders," Boone said as he shook his head. "I'm coming with you."

This took Abigail by surprise. "Wh-what? But-"

"Just like old times, right? Except we're not hunting those Legion bastards," Boone smiled. Abigail still had a questionable look on her face. "Look… believe it or not, and I don't say this much, but I actually missed… er… traveling around with you. It was exciting- more so than standing on top of that freaking dinosaur. So, how about it?"

Abigail could not and would not argue with him. She was excited that he was coming with her. Together, they ventured around the wasteland, helping others and making sure that people were safe. It was as if the time that they spent separated never happened.

One day, while they were helping a caravan cross the Mojave, Boone and Abigail had walked on ahead to make sure that the caravan would be safe. Without realizing it, the two found themselves in a nest of cazadores. They fought off the giant wasps, but Abigail felt one sting her on her back. Instantly, she went limp and fell on the desert ground. "Abby!" she heard Boone scream before she slipped into unconsciousness. When she awoke, she was lying on a cot under a tent. She tried to get up, but Boone came in and stopped her. She made an effort to sit up in the cot, but her head spun and nearly made her sick, so she lay back down. Boone remained by her side until she got better. The two finished escorting the caravan to Primm and decided to head to Goodsprings to check on the place. Abigail had not been there in a long time, and wanted to see how everyone was. She was grateful to the people who lived there for helping her after she had been shot. On the way there, Boone suddenly got quiet, and Abigail wondered if something had happened. She thought he was angry at her for being so careless at the cazador nest, so she chose to address the subject.

"Um, Boone," she spoke.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry about what happened at the cazador nest. I didn't mean to be so careless, and I'm sure I made things harder for you by having to fight off the cazadores and carrying me while doing so."

Boone raised an eyebrow. "You're apologizing for getting stung?"

"Well, yeah. I'm sorry. I won't be so careless next time."

Boone shook his head. "That's stupid. Don't apologize for something you could not prevent. It could have as well been me, you know."

Abigail nodded. "I suppose."

"Anyway, there is something I need to talk to you about." They stopped walking, and Abigail looked at Boone, concerned. If Boone needed to "talk," it was something serious. She was all ears, and her eyes told him so. "So, we've been together for a long time. You met me at my worst, you know. When I lost Carla and the baby… I thought I didn't give a damn anymore. I know I was really hard on you and did not treat you right at times. A year of being apart from you really helped me see what a good friend you are."

_Oh, hell no._ Abigail braced herself. He was friend-zoning her. Again. Of course, she knew that nothing could ever come from their friendship. She was stupid to have even thought so, or to have even hoped. She loved him, but she knew she could not change his mind.

"When I said I missed traveling with you, I meant to say I missed you. I thought that perhaps over the year we hadn't seen each other that you had found love and was happy. I thought about you often, and then one day, there you were at New Vegas being harassed by a drunk."

Abigail giggled. "Best re-introduction ever."

Boone smiled. "Indeed. Anyway, I believed that after I lost Carla that I was to be alone. That I could never find love again. When you were stung by that cazador… when I saw you hit the ground, it scared the shit out of me. I kept hoping that the poison would not take you before I could get you to safety. It hit me then how much I love you." Abigail's eyes widened. Did he just say…? He _wasn't_ friend-zoning her? "I thought I had lost my chance at happiness when I lost Carla, but… I think I would like to find happiness with you." Abigail could not hide her smile. Boone walked to her and held his hand out to her. "What do you say?"

Abigail, naturally, did not say no. She wrapped her hand around his, ready to face whatever was ahead of them by his side. She decided then that she would do all she could to give him happiness. Without a doubt, she could not and would not even try to replace Carla, but she would try her best to give him the happiness he deserved.


End file.
